A judge passing before the stall of an old woman who sold fruit year in and year out said to her one day,
“Don’t you get tired sitting here on such cold days?”
“Well,” she answered, “it is only for time.”
“But when it is very hot and dusty, don’t you find it hard to sit here? And when it rains, and when you don’t feel good, how do you stand it all the year round?” But she gave the same answer to all those questions, “It’s only for a time, sir.”
“But afterward,” said the judge, “what then?”
“Then I will enter into my rest, and this happy prospect enables me to support joyously and courageously all my trials.”
“I guess you are right: ‘all is well that ends well’; but how do you get such confidence?”
“I get it from Christ, sir. He is the way to eternal life, and I belong to Him. I am His, and He is mine. Life is long and hard, it is true; but in a short time now I will see the Lord, and He will give me perfect rest.”
“Well,” said the judge, “you know more than I do—I know all about law, books and such, but I have never learned what you know.”
“I read the Bible, sir, and there is where I learn.”
“I guess I might better learn about such things too,” said the judge in parting.
ML 10/06/1940